The Other Librarian Clara Baldwin and the Public Library Movement in Minnesota — Page 4

The Election of Minnesota’s First Episcopal Bishop Page 11 Fall 2007 Volume 42, Number 3 The Other Librarian Clara Baldwin and the Public Library Movement in Minnesota — Page 4 Clara F. Baldwin in 1936, shortly before her retirement from her position as the director of the Division of Libraries in the Minnesota Department of Education. She was a long-time leader in the Public Library movement in Minnesota whose career is profiled in this issue. Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society. RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORY Executive Director RAMSEY COUNTY Priscilla Farnham Founding Editor (1964–2006) Virginia Brainard Kunz Editor Hıstory John M. Lindley Volume 42, Number 3 Fall 2007 RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY the mission statement of the ramsey county historical society BOARD OF DIRECTORS adopted by the board of directors in July 2003: Howard Guthmann Chair The Ramsey County Historical Society shall discover, collect, W. Andrew Boss preserve and interpret the history of the county for the general public, President recreate the historical context in which we live and work, and make Judith Frost Lewis First Vice President available the historical resources of the county. The Society’s major Paul A. Verret responsibility is its stewardship over this history. Second Vice President Joan Higinbotham Secretary C O N T E N T S J. Scott Hutton Treasurer Thomas H. Boyd, Norlin Boyum, Julie 3 Letters Brady, Carolyn J. Brusseau, Anne Cowie, 4 The Other Librarian Nancy Randall Dana, Charlton Dietz, Joanne A. Englund, Robert F. Garland, John Clara Baldwin and the Public Library Movement in Minnesota Holman, George A. Mairs, Laurie Murphy, Robert F. Garland Richard H. Nichol son, Marla Ordway, Sally D. Patterson, Marvin J. Pertzik, Jay 11 Creating a Diocese Pfaender, Ralph Thrane, David Thune, Richard Wilhoit. The Election of Minnesota’s First Episcopal Bishop Richard T. Murphy Sr. Anne Beiser Allen Director Emeritus 16 Growing Up in St. Paul EDITORIAL BOARD Frogtown’s Arundel Street Anne Cowie, chair, James B. Bell, John Diers, Thomas H. Boyd, Laurie Murphy, Richard H. James R. Brown Nicholson, Paul D. Nelson, Jay Pfaender, David Riehle, G. Richard Slade, Steve Trimble, 24 Roseville’s “Lost Son” Honored Mary Lethert Wingerd. John M. Lindley HONORARY ADVISORY BOARD 25 Book Reviews Olivia I. Dodge, William Fallon, William Finney, Robert S. Hess, George Latimer, Joseph S. Micallef, Robert Mirick, Marvin J. Pertzik, James Reagan, Rosalie E. Wahl, Publication of Ramsey County History is supported in part by a gift from Donald D. Wozniak. Clara M. Claussen and Frieda H. Claussen in memory of Henry H. Cowie Jr. RAMSEY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS and by a contribution from the late Reuel D. Harmon Commissioner Tony Bennett, chair Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt Commissioner Toni Carter Commissioner Rafael Ortega Commissioner Janice Rettman Commissioner Jan Parker A Message from the Editorial Board Commissioner Jim McDonough David Twa, manager, Ramsey County he theme for this issue is the creativity of diverse Ramsey county residents as they responded to change. TBob Garland adds an important chapter to Minnesota women’s history with his account of Clara F. Baldwin, Ramsey County History is published quarterly who headed the drive to build a library system in greater Minnesota as its population grew. From the time she by the Ramsey County Historical Society, 323 Landmark Center, 75 W. Fifth Street, St. graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1892, Baldwin worked to make books accessible to all Minne- Paul, Minn. 55102 (651-222-0701). Printed in sotans. As state librarian from 1900 to 1936, she first oversaw the development of traveling libraries, then a U.S.A. Copy right 2007, Ram sey County His- comprehensive system of local libraries. James Brown follows an earlier article for this magazine with more torical So ciety. ISSN Number 0485-9758. All lively reminiscences of growing up in the 1920s and ’30s in Frogtown, which was then a vital neighborhood rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced near the state capitol that included African-American residents. His early relationships and activities, followed without written permission from the pub- by his education on racism at the neighborhood barbershop, make a compelling read. And Anne Beiser Allen lisher. The Society assumes no responsibility tells the intriguing story of Rev. Henry B. Whipple’s election as the first Episcopal bishop of Minnesota in for state ments made by contributors. Fax 651- 1859, as that denomination was expanding in the new state. We hope you enjoy reading it all. 223-8539; e-mail address [email protected].; web site address www.rchs.com Anne Cowie Chair, Editorial Board 2 RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORY The Other Librarian Cl ara Baldwin and the Public Library Movement in Minnesota Robert F. Garland “. marveled, not for the first time, at the untiring conscientiousness with a B.L. degree, and shortly thereafter of administrative women. Nobody’s interests ever seemed to be over- rejoined Gratia as a clerk or cataloger at 3 looked or forgotten, and an endless goodwill made up for a perennial the Minneapolis Public Library. There, they and others were collectively known scarcity of funds.” 1 as “the library girls.” Dorothy L. Sayers In 1896, Clara and Gratia received enough vacation or unpaid leave to join ost readers would agree that advancing women’s causes at the univer- two other young women (both, curi- Minnesota’s most prominent sity, and for this end, they settled on the ously enough, also named Clara) on a Mlibrarian has been the redoubt- somewhat surprising vehicle of military bicycling trip through England and Scot- able Gratia A. Countryman, long-time drill for women students. In 1889, they land. We have no direct record of Clara’s head of the Minneapolis public library formed the Company Q drill group, of experiences on that trip, but Gratia’s system. Biographer Jane Pejsa has admi- which Clara was elected first sergeant. voluminous letters to her family have rably chronicled Gratia’s life in her de- The next year, she was captain.2 Clara been preserved. Two give interesting in- tailed account, Gratia Countryman: Her graduated from the university in 1892, sights of Clara Baldwin. From one, we Life, Her Loves, and Her Library. Living and working in Ramsey County, however, there was another librarian, almost equally as important to the Min- nesota library movement. This was Miss Countryman’s life-long colleague, Clara Frances Baldwin, state librarian from 1900 to 1936, and the prime, continuing force in the building of the library system in greater Minnesota. Clara Baldwin, the daughter of Benja- min and Ann Baldwin, was born in Lake City, Minnesota, in March 1871. Her family moved to St. Paul in 1874, where her father, a surveyor, was clerk and later chief clerk in the office of the U.S. Sur- veyor General. Thereafter, except for a brief period of education and initial em- ployment in Minneapolis, Clara always lived and worked in St. Paul. Clara’s family lived at 681 Holly Av- enue (then known, at first, as Yale Street), near the corner of St. Albans Street. She graduated from the St. Paul High School in 1887. Next, Clara enrolled in the University of Minnesota. There, in 1888 when pledg- ing the Delta Gamma Sorority, Clara met her life-long friend, coworker, and some- Clara Baldwin, age 24, in 1895. She graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1892 with a times sponsor and mentor, Gratia Coun- degree in library science. Her first job was at the Minneapolis Public Library. Photo courtesy of tryman. They found they shared goals in the Minnesota Historical Society. 4 RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORY learn that, although she is remembered as The Commission met November 18, posed the idea for Minnesota. Legislation a woman of average size, she had unusu- 1899, to select its first employee. There to accomplish this was introduced in 1895 ally small and narrow feet and had great were three candidates for the position of and 1897, failing both times. Demonstra- difficulty in buying shoes in England.4 librarian. Clara Baldwin was selected at a tions of the system were started in Hen- Shoe stores there were compared unfa- salary of $900.00 per year.8 nepin County, and in the cities of Duluth, vorably to those in Minnesota. Clara basically continued in the same Rochester, and Mankato. Thus, when in From the second letter, it’s apparent position throughout her working life, 1899 this legislative proposal finally be- that Clara already had the toughness that although her responsibilities and staff came law, there was already evidence of would stand her in good stead throughout expanded considerably over time. Her success, and later, these libraries were her life. The return steamship trip to the office quarters, however, were not so added to the state system.11 United States was extremely rough. All continuous. She and her staff were suc- Most of the initial year’s appropria- four young women were very seasick cessively housed in the Minneapolis tion of $5,000 was spent for books and and three of them were confined to their Masonic temple, the new State Capi- the metal boxes used to ship them. Cir- cabin. Clara Baldwin, however, “crawled tol Building, the basement of the new culars were issued outlining the plan of out on deck every morning.”5 Minnesota Historical Society Building traveling libraries, followed by a few ar- (1918), and, finally in the new State Of- ticles in magazines such as The Farmer Minnesota Library fice Building. and Farmer’s Annual. Response was very Commission and the In 1919, the Minnesota Library Com- strong and casts interesting sidelights on Division of Libraries of mission ended its work, and Clara’s of- rural Minnesota of that time.

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